SAN DIEGO (June 20, 2008) — Funkwerk Americas, a leading provider of in-vehicle Bluetooth hands-free mobile car kits, is urging motorists in California and Washington State to educate themselves about the options available to comply with the July 1st hands-free legislation.

The Hands-Free Law: The newly enacted law makes holding a cell phone when driving illegal and requires a hands-free device for mobile phone use. Neglect of the law not only results in being pulled over and issued a fine, but also jeopardizes the safety of the driver and others on the road.

California — Fine of $20-$75 for the first offense and $50-$190 for additional offenses for drivers 18 years and older. Drivers under age 18 may not use any form of hands-free device.

Washington State — Secondary offense with flat fine of $124 for all drivers. Drivers only receive a citation if they are in violation of other laws or appear distracted.

EGO Products: Funkwerk Americas’ EGO Bluetooth hands-free systems offer a range of styles and advanced features that appeal to all motorists and help them stay safe and enjoy the full convenience of mobile technologies while driving. All EGO Bluetooth hands-free car kits support mobile phone-based voice commands, incorporate DSP technology for premium quality and are compatible with the popular Apple iPhone.

“We are already experiencing tremendous business growth but also understand there is a bit of a learning curve with consumers when it comes to choosing the best hands-free option,” said Funkwerk Americas’ President & CEO Stan Gafner. “Our EGO line of hands-free car kits provides simple plug-n-play solutions to professionally installed devices with added benefits like Bluetooth audio streaming (A2DP) and text-to-speech technology that reads aloud incoming text messages. Regardless, consumers can rely on EGO’s superior sound quality and attractive designs to fulfill their hands-free needs.”

EGO Product Overview:

EGO CUP (MAP $111): EGO CUP is ideal for those consumers looking for an affordable and simplistic hands-free solution, but without compromising sound quality. Priced just around $100, the EGO CUP is user friendly and is powered by a cigarette lighter adapter. EGO CUP fits in any car cup holder, and can be also mounted on other surfaces.

EGO TALK (MAP $152): The sharp and compact EGO TALK helps those stay connected by integrating music (A2DP) and conversations into the car’s stereo system. The A2DP support allows playback of MP3 songs stored on an iPod, mobile phone, or any other Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player.

All EGO products, except the EGO CUP require professional in-vehicle installation. For more information, visit www.egohandsfree.com.

Recent Hands-free Statistics:

Nearly 80 percent of crashes are caused by driver distraction and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2008.

The new California hands-free legislation is expected to save about 300 lives this year. Source: Public Policy Institute of California, 2008.

Drivers that talk on their cell phone are the #1 trigger that causes stress for commuters with 88 percent observing this happening every day. Source: AutoVantage Road Rage Survey, 2008

Quality The EGO product line is designed and made in Germany. Highest manufacturing standards exceed all automotive industry requirements.

Availability All EGO products and accessories are available through Funkwerk Americas’ dealer and distribution network. Call 858.566.2159 or visit www.egohandsfree.com for more information.

About Funkwerk Americas Funkwerk Americas offers advanced Bluetooth-enabled communication devices providing drivers with hands-free communications, multimedia and entertainment accessibility in their vehicles for enhanced safety, convenience and enjoyment. Building on more than 65 years of expertise, Funkwerk Americas was founded by Funkwerk Dabendorf, a Germany based company. For more information, please visit www.egohandsfree.com.

ecoustics is the unbiased resource for the latest technology news, coolest gadgets, and best consumer electronics. Plus get product reviews, roundups and deals from all over the web on everything electronic. Read more →